Fast riffs shred grinding guitar solos, mind blowing tactics it’s unbearable to listen but the sound draws you end. That’s what I would be saying if that were the case of Jack Owen’s regular musical work, the former guitarist of death metal act Cannibal Corpse and now current guitar hero of rival act Deicide. His new musical project is very different from his depths of the metal underworld. Adrift is the name and heavy rock and roll is their game.
Based out of Tampa, Florida, Jack Owen takes his musical matters down the wrong path. Featuring other members Kevin Astl (Epitaph / Resurrection) on drums, Jen Parker (Animosity) on bass and vocalist Dean Pskowski (Synapse), Adrift takes the essence of American rock and roll and pats it down deep into the soil of the Earth. Patted so deep the music remains silent, Jack Owen does indeed have what it takes when it comes to their debut “Absolution,” but what is offered on that record? Lyrics that are slow paced and make the music a snoozefest for all who listen in. The instrument work is done well but lacks here and there having Owen’s guitar work come in hard and heavy then fade away letting the lingering vocal effects take over putting the listener to sleep. The vocals don’t display that raw heavy duty attitude that heavy rock and roll music is known for.
Adrift’s “Absolution,” only offers a handful of tracks even worth mentioning, such as “You Don’t Know Me,” “Pushed Aside,” and “Held Down,” each of these titles alone have a meaning all their own. For instance “You Don’t Know Me,” the name says it all, clearly claiming all their own that you don?t know this band and this style of music because in the long run it plain out doesn’t give out that hype we thought it would. Whereas “Pushed Aside,” says as it means yet again wanting the music to be pushed aside, allowing the instruments to work together on a piece that’s listenable and enjoyable.
Don’t even start me with “Held Down,” that is the band pleading with the listeners to just try out their music for the sake of it and give in their thoughts on how it all came together in the end. As for me Jack Owen I think I can say this for all us, “Get back to your old routes and pick up the pace, don’t dread us any further with this music you consider rock and roll because it isn’t.”
